SHAMED ex-treasurer Peter Cruddas has been caught on tape saying the Tories should prepare for the SNP winning independence.

The Tory – who was forced to resign last week after being filmed selling secret meetings with David Cameron to party donors – said that the PM should be ­prepared to fake his opposition to ­Scottish independence to get a better deal for England.

Speaking to an ­undercover reporter, Cruddas said: “He (David Cameron) told me that he wants to fight to keep the union.

“He told me those were his true ­feelings. However, even if they’re not, we as a party have to be seen to be fighting to keep the Union together.

“Even if we don’t agree with it, because at the end of it all, if the Scots say we’re out of here and they want to go ­independent, we can turn around and say it’s not what we wanted, it’s not what we campaigned for, you can’t have this, you can’t have that, and you can get on with it.”

The SNP said the footage showed the Tories were prepared for defeat in the 2014 referendum on independence. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This is another bombshell for the Scottish Tories.

“It shows that senior Tories in London are cynically faking their opposition to independence to position themselves for a post-independence deal.

“The Cruddas revelations show that they believe in nothing except protecting Westminster interests.”